Trackday/Autocross Oppos:

"Levitas" (levitas)
07/20/2020 at 19:11 • Filed to: None

I’m working on a presentation for work and need some help in either locating some rules, or providing your experiences from track days, autocross, Track Night in America , etc.

I wasn’t able to easily find anything in writing in the rules/tech sheets, but what have been your experiences in regards to side window positions?

My understanding is that most places will typically require both front side windows down for safety and/or point-bys. Is this the case in a specific series, or on a specific track, or specific autocross regions?

Lemme know your experiences or rules. Thanks for doing my work for me Oppo!

Example of point by

DISCUSSION (21)

Poor_Sh > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 19:27

Windows always down for PCA. As far a i know that’s national. I believe TNIA does the same. But I’ve heard some Canadian tracks use turn signals instead of point bys so maybe they can have windows up?

VincentMalamute-Kim > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 19:38

Both front windows were required to be down when I did track days with the Audi, BMW, and Porsche Clubs. Those were the club rules across all tracks .

WRXforScience > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 19:47

The SCCA (sportscar club of america) requires windows down for track stuff (they run Track Night in America). BMWCCA and PCA both also require windows down, and all the other track groups I’ve run with do as well (some make provisions for strong rain and allow windows up with blinkers, but that’s rare exception and often you have to run with the windows down even in the rain and/or cold ).

For autox, the official rules are that the windows have to be completely down or completely up (for SCCA, PCA, and BMWCCA) . Down is the preferred position, but the official rules allow either.

I’m an instructor for SCCA, PCA, and BMWCCA.

Here’s the SCCA autox (solo) rules: https://www.texasscca.org/solo-rules-classes/

SCCA Time Trial rules: https://www.texasscca.org/trials/

and SCCA Road Racing (race) rules: https://www.texasscca.org/club-racing-rules/

I’m pretty sure if you just google “ [car club name] rules”, you’d find all the information you need. The rules are typically presented and accessible; however, you often have to read them.

Jayhawk Jake > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 19:48

Both windows down for Track Night in America with SCCA, also when I ran at Hallett in Oklahoma (their own HST)

Just Joshin > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 20:31

Both front windows down for any autox groups I’ve seen/participated in. There was one exception for a cold, rainy day, but that’s it.

I went to a drag strip recently and they required windows up, which seemed odd to me.

MISS1LE > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 20:32

NASA-SE windows down even in rain

Just Track It windows down even in rain

SCCA Atlanta Region AutoX windows down...but been a long time since I did AutoX

Danny Korecki > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 20:32

It is usually windows down and then if its a crap day and raining they generally have “forgotten” the window rule.

The idea is when your unconscious in a car on fire or not someone can just reach in and pull you out.

Levitas > Danny Korecki
07/20/2020 at 21:24

That was my understanding as well, thanks!

Levitas > WRXforScience
07/20/2020 at 21:25

Thanks for the info, especially since you’re an instructor for those 3.

I found some of the rules documents, but could never seem to find clear text on windows up vs. down. I can only imagine my google-fu was not up to par this time.

Levitas > Poor_Sh
07/20/2020 at 21:26

I did find some lines about people physically incapable of doing point-bys being allowed to use turn signals with arrows near them. Thanks for the info though!

Levitas > VincentMalamute-Kim
07/20/2020 at 21:27

Cool, thanks for the info. Seems pretty standard, although some tracks (VIR, Atlanta?) have specific tech sheets for TNiA for what seems like helmet requirements.

Levitas > Jayhawk Jake
07/20/2020 at 21:30

Good to know. Since I know you had both Camaro and Mustang, did you notice any throb (wub wub, buffeting) issues with both windows down at any specific speed for either of them?

Levitas > Just Joshin
07/20/2020 at 21:30

Interesting for the drag strip, wonder if that has to do with proximity to another vehicle? Or maybe a typical drag strip has more trained emergency personnel onsite?

Levitas > MISS1LE
07/20/2020 at 21:31

Interesting, thanks for the info!

WRXforScience > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 21:37

It’s good to know that someone has legitimate difficulty finding a particular rule, or rules in general, so that those points can be either reinforced or made easier to find.

The rules can be overwhelming to new participants (the SCCA solo rules are over 300 pages).

I’m also the Novice Chief for the Texas SCCA Solo program and we send out tips and faqs to our new people before an event.

I had a trackday last year , where I either missed or didn’t fully press both window buttons (they’re one touch down in my car) and only the driver’s side went down. The corner stations started signaling me, which I saw and acknowledged but didn’t understand. They were pantomiming the manual roll your windows down motion, which I had never seen before. I thought they were just cheering me on since I was chasing a friend of mine and we were putting on a bit of a show. After they black flagged me, I noticed my passenger side window was up and rolled it down just before I pulled into the pits. I was let back out after a quick apology and a chuckle with the grid captain. He assumed I didn’t get the signal because I was too young to remember manual windows (I’m just old enough to have had to manually roll down windows).

VincentMalamute-Kim > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 21:37

My info only applies to the northern Midwest tracks I ran: Brainerd, Road America, Blackhawk Farms, Gingerman.

From what I recall, it was the clubs that had helmet requirements. Although maybe they were just passing along the tracks requirements?

Nick Has an Exocet > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 22:13

Miata Reunion (Trackmasters running it) was windows down unless you had a soft-top and were running with the softtop up (softtop up, windows up).

In Europe, they run more with windows up.

Gripevo1 > Levitas
07/20/2020 at 22:43

Done 50+ autocross events and 25 or so trackdays at a variety of different tracks and with different organizations. Never had any events with anything other than windows down. My understanding has always been that it is a safety thing..while there is some small risk of a limb getting outside the car in a roll over, being able to pull you out in a the event of a fire is more important. Also, since most track events use the “point by” system for passing during non-competitive events(hpde), it is another safety reason to have the drivers window down. I work for a major OEM, and although im not in engineering, I have visited our test track, and its similar rules there for any serious track driving .

Its been years since ive been drag racing, but I seem to remember that it was windows up there. Not sure why.

bmil128 > Levitas
07/21/2020 at 09:42

As all have mentioned most groups are windows fully down and sometimes lax if it’s raining. In 5 years I have only seen a car get upside-down once, it was a vintage Beetle with dune buggy equivalent ride height that never should have passed tech, and it rolled on the pavement while fish-tailing.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Levitas
07/21/2020 at 10:42

Yes, windows down (and no music).

Levitas > Gripevo1
07/21/2020 at 17:58

Huh interesting, I talked to some of our OEMs test drivers and they do everything windows up, whether its on a track or at a proving grounds.

And yeah interesting about the drag racing. Might look into that one...